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^   A  A  ^  •  A  A 


HISTORY  AND  DESCRIPTION 


OF    TU^  * 


mAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN 

.-       BUILT  AT  BRISTOL 

FOE    THE 

GREAT  WESTEM  STEAMSHIP  COMNY; 

TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED,  REMARKS 

ON    THE 

domparatioe  fUcrits  of  Iron  att&  U)00lr 

AS 

MA.  :rials  for  ship-building. 


BY  CAPT.  CLAXTON,  R.N. 


NEW  YORK: 
PUBLISHED  BY  J.  SMITH  HOMANS, 

295   BROADWAY 

18-15  . 


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b" 


HISTORY  AND  DESCRIPTION 


OF   THK 


STlAM-SeiP  GREAT  BRITAIN 

BUILT  AT  BRISTOL 

FOR   THK 

GREAT  WESTERN  STEAM-SHIP  COMPANY; 

TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED,  REMARKS 

ON    THE 

(£.artvpavaim  iHeritB  of  Iron  auir  tDoo0 

AS. 

MATERIALS  FOR  SHIP-BUILDINO. 


BY  CAPT.  CLAXTON,  R.N. 


NEW  YORK: 
PUBLISHED  BY  J.  SMITH  ROMANS, 


295   BBOADWAT 

1845 


THE 


STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN, 


This  splendid  iron  ship — the  largest  vessel  we  believe  in  the 
world — was  launched,  or  rather  floated  off,  from  the  dock  at 
Bristol  in  which  she  was  built,  on  the  19th  of  July,  1843,  in  the 
immediate  presence  of  Prince  Albert  and  a  large  concourse  of 
noblemen  and  gentlemen,  and  families  of  the  first  distinction 
from  nearly  every  quarter  of  the  kingdom,  as  well  as  of  many 
thousands  of  spectators  belonging  to  that  town,  and  congregated 
on  the  adjacent  heights,  and  every  available  point  of  view  on 
shore,  or  from  vessels  on  the  river.  The  untoward  delays  that 
afterwards  arose  in  getting  the  vessel  ready  for  sea,  are  already 
before  the  public.  Every  difficulty  has  happily  been  overcome ; 
and  as  the  vessel  has  already  most  satisfactorily  solved  the 
problem  involved  in  the  magnitude  of  her  construction,  and  her 
peculiar  mode  of  propulsion  (from  which  a  new  era  in  ocean 
steam  navigation  will  henceforth  be  dated),  we  have  taken  steps 
to  gratify  our  readers  by  a  more  detailed  account  of  the  leviathan 
and  her  machinery,  with  statistics,  illustrated  by  wood-cuts,  pre- 
senting views  of  her  hull,  machinery,  &c.,  so  that  an  accurate  idea 
of  the  whole  may  be  attained  at  a  glance. 

General  IIIeacripttDn  of  t\)t  (Bttat  i3ritain. 

The  following  are  the  dimensions  of  the  ship  : — 

Length  of  keel 289  feet,!  Stroke  of  piston 6    feet. 

"        from  figure-head  to  taffrail... .  322  "     \  Displacement  of  water  when  drawing 

Extreme  width 51  "           about  16  feet  (or  loaded),  about 3000  tons. 

Depth  of  hold  from  upper  or  sp.ir  deck    32J     "       Stowage  for  coal 1100    *' 

Burthen,  by  old  measurement,  about. .  3443  tons,  t         "        goods  additional  about 1200    " 

Power,  2  engines  of  500    horse-pow-  ]  Will  accommodate  about 360  passengers 

ereach 1000  ]  And  dining  accommodation  for  ...380         " 

Boiler  (square)  34  feet  by  22  in  height.  Crew  and  firemen 350  persons. 

Furnaces,  24—12  forward  and  12  abaft.  '■ 

The  vessel  is  entirely  built  of  iron,  with  the  exception  of  the 
boarding  of  her  decks  and  some  of  her  cabin  fittings  and  carved- 
vvork.     Her  model  is  somewhat  peculiar,  yet  accordant  with  tht? 


THE    STEAM'SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


FigA.^ 


Fig,  2.^ 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN.  O 

taste  (when  she  was  built)  of  many  nautical  men,  and  the  speed 
she  has  since  attained,  together  with  her  good  sea  qualities,  prove 
that  their  opinions  were  well  founded.  Her  sides  tumble,  or  fall 
in,  a  good  deal  towards  the  top  deck,  from  about  the  middle  of 
her  length  to  the  stern,  giving  her  a  man-of-war  like  appearance 
and  a  wholesome  rotundity  in  the  after  body.  Abreast  of  the 
boilers,  which  are  forward  of  the  longitudinal  centre,  her  sides 
are  rather  flattish,  but  she  has,  after  all  abundance  of  bearings,  for 
a  steamer,  and  more  aloft  might  have  produced  heavy  rolling  in 
a  sea-way.  Her  bottom  bearings  are  ample,  and  she  is  finely 
moulded  with  a  sharp  entrance,  approaching  to  the  plough  form, 
and  an  equally  fine  run.  Her  upper  works,  like  most  of  the 
Bristol  ships,  are  plain,  but  substantial  in  finish.  The  hull  is 
formed  of  iron  plates,  decreasing  in  thickness  from  the  keel 
upwards,  and  angle  iron  ribs  of  great  strength.  The  plates  are 
not,  however,  so  thick  in  proportion  to  her  size  as  those  of  some 
iron  vessels  since  constructed,  particularly  those  built  at  North 
Birkenhead  (for  war  purposes),  but  she  is  nevertheless  a  very 
strong  ship,  being  bound  securely  by  rods  on  the  tension  prin- 
ciple. The  plates  of  her  keel  are  from  |-inch  thick  in  the  middle, 
to  1  inch  at  the  ends,  and  all  the  plates  under  water  are  from  fths 
to  |-inch  at  the  top,  except  the  upper  plate  which  is  |ths.  She 
is  chiefly  clencher-built,  and  double  riveted  at  many  points.  The 
ribs  are  6  inches  by  3J,  by  ^-inch  thick  at  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel,  and  7-16ths  at  the  top.  Her  rig  is  that  of  what  may  be 
called  a  six-masted  schooner,  with  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  lugger 
topsails,  with  the  exception  of  the  mainmast  (the  second  from  the 
bow),  which  will  carry  a  square  mainsail  and  a  topsail  over  it. 
She  has  four  decks,  and  the  upper,  or  spar  deck,  is  308  feet  in 
length.  The  engines  are  somewhat  on  the  patent  of  Sir  Mark 
Brunei,  with  the  cylinders,  in  place  of  being  upright,  standing  on 
an  angle  of  about  60  degrees.  The  main  shaft  for  the  turning 
of  the  screw,  and  which  is  of  great  length  and  large  diameter, 
was  made  at  the  Mersey  Iron  Works ;  and  is  itself  a  great 
curiosity. 

On  the  spar  deck  there  are  eight  skylights  for  the  fore  sedoon, 
and  one  large  light  over  the  engine  room.  The  under  decks  and 
apartments  have  borrowed  lights  from  these,  and  also  circular 
lights  in  the  sides  of  the  ship — the  latter  of  plate  glass  an  inch  in 
thickness.  The  companions,  or  entrances  from  the  deck,  are 
fitted  with  doors  on  either  side,  so  as  always  to  have  a  weather 
and  a  lee  door,  the  former  of  which  may  be  closed  during  gales. 
The  windlass  is  on  a  patent  principle.  The  best  bower  anchor 
weighs  about  three  tons,  and  its  iron  chain  cable  is  of  2\  inches 
diameter  in  the  metal  of  the  link.  The  bowsprit  is  proportion- 
ably  short,  owing  to  the  great  length  of  the  vessel.     The  bow  is 


6 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


enriched  with  carved  work :  in  the  centre  are  the  Royal  Arms, 
surrounded  by  emblems  of  the  arts  and  sciences  of  the  empire, 
and  (in  illustration  of  the  power  and  speed  of  the  ship)  represen- 
tations of  the  thunderbolt  of  Jove  and  the  caduceus  of  Mercury. 

Perhaps  the  most  interesting  portion  of  the  whole  structure  is 
the  machinery,  and  the  screw^  by  which  she  is  propelled.  The 
latter  is  on  the  same  principle,  but  slightly  modified,  as  that 
invented  by  Mr.  F.  P.  Smith,  of  the  Patent  Ship  Propeller  Com- 
pany (who  supplied  it),  and  who,  some  years  ago,  exhibited  it 
in  the  Archimedes.  The  manner  in  which  it  is  fixed,  worked, 
and  speeded,  will  be  seen  by  the  illustrations. 

The  alphabets  and  figures  are  repeated  over  the  same  parts  of 
the  ship  in  all  the  views,  so  that  the  same  parts  in  each  may  be 
identified. 


Fig.  1*.  A  longitudinal  vertical  section  of  the 
entire  vessel,  showing  the  .various  compartments ; 
and  Fig.  2*,  a  side  view. 

A  B.    Surface  line  of  upper  deck. 

C.  Principal  promenade  saloon  ;  length,  1(K) 
feet  by  48  at  the  widest  part ;  height,  7  feet ;  24 
berths  on  each  side. 

D.  First  class  saloon,  or  dining  room ;  length, 
100  feet ;  greatest  width,  50  feet ;   height,  8  feet. 

E.  The  cargo  deck,  65  feet  long,  by  9  feet  high. 

F.  An  iron  fresh  water  tank  ;  length,  40  feet. 

G.  .4.  room  for  a  coal  store,  &.c. 
H.    Elevation  of  engines. 

I.    Ditto  of  boiler. 

J  J.  Iron  deck  ever  boiler,  for  cooking  appa- 
ratus. 

K.  Fore  or  second  class  saloon,  84  feet  long, 
7  feet  9  inches  high. 

L.    Lower  fore  saloon,  length  and  height  as 


above ;  40  bed  places  on  each  side  of  these  saloons. 
M.  and  N.     Iron-floored  cargo  decks. 
O.     Air  chamber  from  boiler  to  bulk-head,  of 
the  shape  of  the  ship. 
P.    Officers'  berths,  &c. 
Q,.    Sailors'  mess  room. 
R.    Sailors'  berths  ;  r.  small  water  tank, 
AVater-closets. 
Ship's  stern-post,  through  which  the  screw 


T. 


U.    Shaft  from  engine  to  screw. 

V.  Diagonal  stay  from  the  ship's  side  to  the 
stern-post. 

W.  Side  view  of  screw  stern-post,  In  which 
the  end  of  the  screw  spindle  revolves. 

X.  Keel  under  the  screw,  uniting  the  stern- 
post  to  the  vessel. 

Y.  Hollow  rudder  foot,  and  of  such  a  thickness 
as  to  receive  the  stern-post,  which  forms  its  pivot. 


BOILER  AND  MACHINERY. 


ft.  ill. 

Boiler  (square  on  plan),  about 33  0 

Length  of  fires 6  0 

Width  of  ditto 2  0 

Total  surface  of  fire-bar  (feet  superficial)  281  0 

Chimney  (diameter) 8  0 

Height  of  ditto  about 45  0 

Diameter  of  four  cylinders 7  4 

Length  of  main  wrought-iron  shaft 15  9 

Diameter  at  centre  for  driving-wlieel  .....     2  3 
Weight  in  the  rough,  as  from  the  forge, 
upwards  of  10  tons. 


Diagonal  framing  for  support  of  shaft,  of 
very  hard  and  strong  foreign  wood. 

Cranks,  thickness  at  large  hote.....  » I 

Width  at  the  head 3 

Diameter  of  large  driving-wheel 26 

Ditto  of  rigger  on  screw  shaft 6 

Keel  under  screw,  12  inches  wide  on  the  top 

face,  9  inches  under  face,  5  inches  thick. 
Screw  stern-post,  20  inches  across  the  cen- 
:      tre;  rudder,  6  feet  6  inches  wide  at  bottom. 

I  Distance  between  the  stern-posts 11 

•  Height  of  screw,  about 15 


ft.  in. 
6 


Fig.  1  represents  a  transverse  section  of  the  vessel  at  the  engine- 
room,  with  an  end  view  of  the  machinery. 

Fig.  2.  (double).  A  longitudinal  section  of  the  vessel,  with  a 
vertical  section  of  the  boiler,  and  an  elevation  of  the  starboard 


Fig.  3.  Horizontal  sections  of  the  boiler,  and  general  plan  of 
the  engines. 

Figs.  4  and  5.  Outline  and  section  of  a  cylinder,  steam-valves 
and  a  foundation-plate. 


Fig.  6.  Piston-valves  to  work  the  valve-cases. 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


i%.l. 


B 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


THE  BOILER. 


A  A  A  A  represents  the  outline  of  the  boilers  in  figs.  1, 2,  and 
3,  which  is  about  11  yards  square  in  the  plan.  B  B  B  B  is  a 
vertical  section  through  the  fires,  near  the  middle  of  the  width, 
showing  the  direction  of  the  heated  air  and  flame,  a  a,  the 
furnaces  ;  b  b,  the  middle  flues ;  and  c  c,  the  upper  flues.  On 
the  boiler  plan,  in  fig.  3,  the  portion  marked  d  d  shows  a  hori- 
zontal section  through  the  line  e  e  (see  fig.  2);  the  portion  marked 
//,  a  section  through  ^^;  and  the  part  marked  h  h,  a  section 
through  the  line  at  i  i.  Within  the  boiler,  and  opposite  the  holes 
for  the  escape  of  steam  to  the  engines  at  O,  there  is  an  inclined 
plate  fixed  to  prevent  "  priming,"  the  top  edge  of  which  the 
steam  has  to  pass.  The  entire  boiler  is  divided  by  two  vertical 
partitions,  j  j  and  k  Ar,  thereby  forming  three  distinct  sections, 
either  of  which  may  be  put  out  of  use  if  necessary.  To  each 
section  there  is  a  sluice,  or  side-valve,  fixed  in  the  casting  at  D, 
with  its  face  towards  the  boiler,  the  edges  of  which  are  planed 
to  form  wedges  with  the  points  upwards,  so  that  by  its  being 
drawn  up  by  the  rod,  it  is  at  the  same  time  forced  hard  between 
the  seat  frame  and  inclined  brass  bars,  therefore  shutting  off"  the 
the  steam  from  that  section  of  the  boiler.  C  C  C,  figs  1,  2,  and 
3,  are  an  outline,  section,  and  plan  of  the  chimney. 

The  boiler  is  furnished  with  six  water  gauges,  safety-valves, 
blow-offs,  water-valves,  and  all  the  usual  appurtenances. 

THE    ENGINES. 

D  D  D  D  are  the  steam  cylinders,  which  are  four  in  number. 
E.  fig.  4,  piston,  and  F,  piston-rod.  G  G  are  sections  of  the 
steam-valve  cases  and  side -pipes,  in  which  m  (fig.  5),  is  the  steam 
branch  from  the  boiler,  containing  the  throttle-valve  ;  n  is  the 
expansion  slide-valve,  working  against  a  fixed  plain  flat  surface, 
but  perforated  with  holes,  as  seen  at  p  in  fig.  4.  q  q  q  q  are 
brass  linings ;  r  r  r  is  the  eduction  passage  from  cylinder  to 
condenser.  H  is  an  escape-valve  in  the  cylinder  cover ;  as 
also  at  I  for  the  bottom.  J  J  is  the  foundation-plate ;  K,  con- 
densers ;  M,  air-pumps ;  N,  hot  well ;  P  P,  boiler  and  bilge- 
pumps;  s  s,  steam-pipes  to  the  engines;  t,  beam  for  parallel  mo- 
tion ;  u  w,  guide  standards  for  piston-rod ;  v,  connecting-rods  to 
the  cranks ;  iv,  air-pump  connecting-rod ;  P  P  P  P,  wood  fram- 
ing for  support  of  upper  works;  Q,  main  shaft;  RR,  cranks; 
S,  main  driving-wheel ;  T,  lower  pulley ;  U,  shaft  leading  to 
screw. 

The  dimensions  of  the  principal  parts  are  given  in  the  previous 
page. 

The  boiler  platform  is  of  plate-iron,  supported  upon  ten  iron 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN.  9 

kelsons,  of  which  the  centre  ones  are  3  feet  3  inches  deep* 
These  kelsons  areformed,  like  the  floorings,  of  iron  plates  placed 
on  edge. 

The  hull  is  divided  into  five  distinct  compartments,  by  means 
of  water-tight  iron  bulkheads. 

The  whole  of  the  materials  and  workmanship,  both  of  ship 
and  machinery,  appear  to  be  of  the  first  order. 

On  the  angle  iron  beams  of  the  lower  decks  there  is  an  iron 
plate  of  from  2  to  3  feet  wide  by  half-inch  thick,  running  along 
against,  each,  side  pf*  the  vessel,  the  edge  of  which  is  /itted  up 
against  the  fibs,  .and  riveted  on  to  the  flat  angle  iron  beams. 
This  continuous  plate  is  made  of  the  ordinary  boiler  plates, 
united  at  the  end  with  a  jointing  fillet" single  riveted"  to  each, 
and  oyer  it  are  laid  the  deck  planks,  to.  which  they  are  boiled ;  it 
being,  therefore,  firnily  secured  between  the  beams  and  planking, 
cannot  fail  to  aid  very  materially  in  resisting  any  sudden  and 
partial  resistance  externally,  and  to  maintain  the  original  form. 

The  upper,  or  m^in  deck,  is  planked  longitudinally  3  inches 
thick  in  the  middle,  6  inches  near  the  sides,  from  which  there  is  a 
mass  of  timber , forming  the  "  water  ways,"  increasing  from  six 
inches  to  about  2  feet  in  depth  against  the  outside  planking, 
forming  a  curve  surface  against  the  ship's  side  above  and  below, 
to  admit  of  which  the  iron  beams  are  bent  down  at  the  ends. 
The  planking  of  the  first  saloon  deck  consists  also  of  longitu- 
dinally laid  planks,  6  inches  wide,  4. inches  thick,  with  "water 
ways"  10  inches  thick  at  the  sides;  and,  as  it  lies  on  the  before- 
mentioned,  horizontal  plates,  the  projection  is  all  above  the  surface 
of  the  .deck.  -  The  plaaking  of  the  third  deck  runs  across  the 
ship,  with  6x4  inch  "water  ways,". as  in  that  immediately 

above. 

•  ■  . 

THE  MACHINERY  AND  ENGINES. 

The  boiler  (as  shown  by  the  sections)  presents  a  'great  space 
of  heating  surface,  and  is  amply  strong  for  condensing  engines* 
The  foundation  plate  of  the  engines  has  a  conical  depression  of 
about  12  inches,  into  w'hich  the  piston  dips ;  this  depression  fits 
into  the  bend  of  the  ship,  and  is  therefore  taken  advantage  of  in 
depressing  both  faces,  of  the  piston,  and  also  dishing  the  cylinder 
cover  to  about  eight  inches  at  the  centre,  thereby  afibrding  the 
connecting  rod  to  be  that  much  larger.  The  piston  is  cast  with 
its  top  and  bottom  face,  arms,  and  outer  ring,  in  one  piece ;  and 
for  the  purpose  of  fitting  in  the  keys  to  fasten  the  rod  there  are 
two  holes,  into  one  of  the  spaces  between  the  arms,  through 
which  the  fitting  and  fastening  is  performed,  and  which  holes  are 
then  stopped  by  circular  plates,  with  valve  mitre  edges,  and  made 
fast.      The  rubbing,  or  "  metallic"  surface  of  the  piston,  is  one 

2 


10 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


Fi^.  2. 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


11 


Fig.  a 


12 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


Fig.  4. 


Fig.  6. 


Fig,  5. 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN.  13 

ring  of  cast  iron,  cut  open  at  one  point,  with  a  half-lapped  join,t, 
depth  seven  to  eight  inches,  to  be  packed  behind.  The  nuts  for 
holding  down  the  screws  for  the  paqking  ring  are  turned  cylin- 
drical, and  inserted  into  holes  of  2|  inches  dip-meter,  drilled  in 
the  top  of  the  piston.  The.  holes  to  be  .expanded  by  hear,  and 
the  nuts  inserted  cold,  so  as  to  be  held  in  by  friction,  and  secured 
by  a  tap  screw.  The  shells  of  the  piston  valves  are  brass  cylin- 
ders with  steam  openings,  as  shown  by  the  sections,  haying  a 
"  twist"  to  render  the  wear  more  uniform.  The  piston  valves 
have  a  cast  iron  expanding  ring  as  have  the  cylinders.  These 
pistons  are  worked  by  eccentrics  in  the  usual  way,  but  the 
"reversihg"  is  effected  by  an  eight-feet  spur  wheel  attached  to 
the  eccentric,  with  an  appropriate  contrivance  to  put  it  into  gear. 

The  Screw  is  of  six  arms ;  the  diameter  is  16  feet,  25  feet 
pitch,  and  it  is  placed  near  the  keel  under  water.  The  Spindle 
that  turns  it  is  placed. in  a  stuffing  box.  On  this  part  of  the 
subject  Mr.  Hill  remarks  : — "Allowing  the  diameter  of  .the  G^eat 
Britain  screw  to  .be  15  feet,  the  diatneter  of  the  circle  of  effect 
would  be  about  12  feet  6  inches  circumference ;  therefore  the 
mechanical  constructions,  if  developed  to  a"  straight  wedge, 
would  be  represented  by  A  B,  fig.  9,.  line  of  axis ;  C  D,  distance 
passed  over  by  one. revolution  (13  feet  2  inches)  ;  D  E,  circum- 
ference of  circle  of  total  effect ;  and  C  E,  acting  face  of  the 
screw.  The  amount  of  resistance  caused  by  the  friction  or  adhe- 
sion of  the  water  on  the  face  of  the  screw  will  very  much 
depend  on  the  smoothness  of  the  surface;  or,  probably,  a  thin 
disc  of  water  will  be  carried  round  with  the  screw,  and  the  fric- 
tion take  place  amongst  the  particles  of  water  at  some  slight 
distance  from  the  face.  F  G,  fig.  10,  shows  the  divergent  lines 
of  the  cone  of  motion  communicated  to  the  water,  and,  if  the 
above  premises  be  correct,  it  appears  to  promise  a  greater  effect 
than  has  generally  been  expected,  inasmuch  as  the  direction  of 
impact  of  the  screw  does  not  make  so  great  an  angle  from  the 
.  line  of  the  axis."     '  • 

The  performances  of  the  Great  Britain  since  this  was  written 
have  proved  the  correctness  of  Mr.  Hill's  anticipation.  He  then, 
too,  stated^"  It  is  contended  by  many  nautical  men,  and  some 
eminent  in  the  profession,  that  the  situation  of  the  propelling 
force  being  at  the  stern  will  cause  the  vessel  to  run  very  wild  in  a 
headwind,  and  to  counteract  which  the  rudder' will  be  in  such 
constant,  requisition  as  to  cause  a  considerable  loss  of  power; 
but  one  sound  and  settled  fact  is  worth  a  thouss^nd  opinions. 
Taking  all  the  circumstances  into  consideration,  it  does  appear 
that  if  by  the  use  of  art  equal  weight  of  fuel  the  duty'  perform- 
ance of  the  screw  be  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  paddle  wheel, 
and  that  the  whole  of  the  machinery  be  so  constructed  as  to  be 


14  THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Isisting,  and  not  unpleasant  to  passengers,  it  has  the  merit  of 
being  free  from  serious  inconvenience  of  the  paddle-wheel,  such 
as  great  top-heaviness,  opposition  of  the  paddle-boxes  to  the 
wind,  &c.,  and  possesses  these  advantages  besides,  namely,  that 
strength  in  the  upper  part  of  the  ship  is  not  required  to  support 
machinery,  and  that  the  deck  is  clear — a  great  comfort  to  passen- 
gers, and  of  great  convenience  in  management  of  sails  and 
working  the  ship." 

It  has  since  been  proved  that  the  Great  Britain  does  not  "  run 
wild  in  a  heavy  sea,"  that  she  steers  with  great  ease,  under  sail 
or  steam,  and  without  any  loss  of  power,  more  than  any  sailing 
or  other  vessel,  through  the  action  of  the  rudder ;  so  that  the 
first  point  may  be  considered  as  settled.  As  to  the  advantages 
of  the  screw  in  doing  away  with  the  lumbersome  paddle-wheels 
and  their  bandbox  casings  or  boxes,  which  destroy  the  straight 
sheer  of  a  ship,  by  giving  her  a  dromedary  hump  tending  to 
strain  her  upper  works,  and  form,  as  it  were, "  sails  "  in  beam 
winds,  that  cannot  be  reefed — there  can  be  no  question.  The 
safety  of  the  screw  over  the  paddle-wheel,  whether  in  collision 
or  contact,  or  as  regards  the  shot  of  an  enemy,  is  equally  unde- 
niable ;  for,  in  both  respects,  the  screw  is  by  far  the  less  vulnera- 
ble. Another  great  advantage  of  the  screw  is  (supposing  it 
equally  efficient  with  the  wheel  as  a  propeller),  it  possesses  in 
itself  a  mechanical  power  or  gain  (that  of  the  inclined  plane  or 
wedge),  while  the  wheel  presents,  on  the  contrary,  a  direct  lever- 
age against  the  engine  equal  to  its  semi-diameter,  or  rather  to  the 
distance  between  its  centre  or  shaft  and  its  floats.  The  beating 
down  of  the  water  by  the  paddles  in  the  first  instance,  and  the 
lift  or  back  water  in  their  leaving  the  surface,  involves  also  a 
great  waste  of  power,  that  is  not  attributable  to  the  screw,  which 
possesses  a  uniform  power  of  forward  propulsion. 

Our  opinions  have  so  frequently  been  expressed  in  favor  of 
iron  as  a  material  for  ship-building,  and  especially  for  steamers, 
that  we  do  not  deem  it  necessary  here  to  repeat  them.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  that  we  consider  a  well-built  iron  ship,  with  water-tight 
bulkheads,  much  safer  from  foundering,  or  from  wreck,  even  on 
a  rocky  shore,  than  any  wooden  vessel,  let  the  builder  construct 
her  as  he  may. 

THE  CABINS.— (Figs.  11  and  12.) 

These  last  illustrations  are  typographical  plans  of  the  main 
and  fore  saloons,  with  the  state-rooms,  &c.,  on  each  side.  The 
Great  Britain  has  26  state  rooms  with  one  bed  each,  and  113 
with  two,  so  that  in  addition  to  her  crew,  officers,  firemen,  &c., 
she  can  accommodate  252  passengers,  each  of  whom  can  be 
provided  with  a  single  bed,  and  that  without  making  up  a  single 
sofa,  or  any  other  temporary  convenience. 


Fig*  ll.''— Forward  Promenade  Saloon^  State  Rooms  and  Berths* 


Fi^,  Vi,"^ After  and  Principal  Promenade  Saloon^  State  Rooms,  SfC 


I 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN.  17 

The  walls  of  the  after  or  principal  promenade  saloon  are 
painted  in  delicate  tints ;  and  along  the  sides  are  several  fixed 
chairs  of  oak.  A  row  of  well-proportioned  pillars,  which  range 
down  the  centre  of  the  promenade,  serve  the  double  purpose  of 
ornament  to  the  room  and  support  to  the  deck.  In  this  saloon, 
on  either  side,  is  a  range  of  exceedingly  comfortable  state  rooms 
and  sleeping  berths.  About  twelve  of  these  on  each  side  of  the 
deck  will  be  reserved  for  ladies,  as  they  are  made  to  communi- 
cate with  two  commodious  ladies'  boudoirs,  or  private  sitting 
rooms,  measuring  17  feet  by  14  feet.  The  advantages  of  this 
arrangement  must  be  obvious,  as  ladies  who  may  be  indisposed, 
or  in  neglige,  will  be  enabled  to  reach  their  sleeping  berths  with- 
out there  being  the  slightest  necessity  for  their  appearing  in  pub- 
lic. The  frame-work  of  the  staircases  communicating  from  this 
saloon  with  the  deck,  is  of  iron.  The  stairs  are  far  more  wide 
and  commodious  than  is  generally  met  with  on  ship-board. 
From  this  promenade  you  descend  into  the  main  or  dining 
saloon,  which  is  98  feet  6  inches  long,  by  30  feet  wide.  This  is 
really  a  beautiful  room.  A  large  sum  of  money  has  not  been 
uselessly  squandered  in  procuring  for  it  gaudy  decoration,  not 
harmonizing  with  its  uses,  but  its  fittings  are  alike  chaste  and 
elegant.  Down  the  centre  are  twelve  principal  columns  of  white 
and  gold,  with  ornamental  capitals  of  great  beauty.  Twelve 
similar  columns  also  range  down  the  walls  on  either  side.  Be- 
tween these  latter  and  the  entrances  to  the  sleeping  berths  are 
(on  each  side  of  the  deck)  eight  pilasters,  in  the  Arabesque  style 
(of  which  character  the  saloon  generally  partakes),  beautifully 
painted  with  oriental  birds  and  flowers.  On  either  side  are 
seven  doors,  which  open  into  as  many  passages,  each  of  which 
communicates  with  four  bedrooms.  The  archways  of  the  seve- 
ral doors  are  tastefully  carved  and  gilded,  and  are  surmounted 
with  neat  medallion  heads.  Some  looking-glasses  are  so  arrang- 
ed as  to  reflect  the  saloon  lengthways,  at  two  opposite  sides,  from 
which  a  very  pleasing  illusion  is  produced.  The  walls  of  this  apart- 
ment are  of  a  delicate  lemon-tinted  drab  hue,  relieved  with  blue, 
white  and  gold.  At  the  stern  end  are  a  number  of  sofas,which  range 
one  above  the  other,  nearly  up  to  the  stern-lights.  At  the  opposite 
extremity  is  a  large  room  for  the  steward's  use.  The  saloon  is 
fitted  with  rows  of  dining-tables,  of  sufficient  capacity  to  admit 
of  360  persons  sitting  down  to  dinner  at  one  time,  wdth  perfect 
convenience  and  comfort.  On  each  side  the  forward  promenade 
saloon  (on  plan  11)  there  are  36  berths  or  sleeping  places,  and  in 
the  saloon  below  it  30  in  each  side,  making  in  all,  forward,  132. 
To  the  state-rooms  there  are  passages  leading  from  the  saloons, 
and  running  athwart  the  ship,  as  shown  in  the  plans  11  and  12. 

In  the  forecastle  are  berths,  36  in  number,  for  a  portion  of  the 


18 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN, 


crew.     The  iron  ribs,  and  the  mode  in  which  the  ship  is  riveted, 
can  be  well  inspected  from  this  apartment. 

ADDITIONAL   MEMORANDA. 

The  length  of  the  Great  Britain  from  her  figure-head  to  her 
taffraii  being  322  feet,  she  is  60  or  70  feet  longer  than  a  line-of- 
battle  ship.  All  the  masts,  except  the  main-mast,  are  affixed  to 
the  deck  by  iron  joints,  and  in  the  event  of  a  strong  head  wind 
can  be  lowered  like  the  mast  of  a  canal  boat.  The  diameter  of 
the  mainmast  below  is  34  inches,  and  its  height  above  the  level 
of  the  deck  74  feet.  The  main  topmast  is  55  feet  long.  Diameter 
of  foremast  19  inches,  height  68  feet.  The  other  masts  pro- 
portionate. 

Eight  walks  round  the  principal  deck  are  about  equal  to  a  mile 
in  length. 

In  the  construction  of  the  hull  and  engines  the  enormous 
quantity  of  1500  tons  of  iron  have  been  used. 

The  rigging  is  of  iron  wire  rope,  offering  less  resistance  in 
going  to  windward  than  hemp,  which  would  require  greater 
thickness  for  equal  strength. 

The  engines  weigh  340  tons. 

The  main  shaft  is  28  inches  in  diameter  in  the  centre,  and  24 
inches  in  the  bearings;  in  the  rough,  before  turned,  it  weighed 
16  tons.  It  has  been  lightened  by  a  hole  of  10  inches  diameter 
bored  through  it.  A  stream  of  cold  water  passes  through  the 
cranks  and  this  hole  when  the  engines  are  at  work. 

The  screw  shaft  is  in  one  long  and  two  short  or  coupling 
parts.  The  part  next  the  engine,  solid,  28  feet  by  16  inches 
diameter.  The  hollow  intermediate  shaft  65  feet,  by  2  feet  8 
inches  diameter.  The  screw  part  is  25  feet  6  inches,  and  also 
16  inches  diameter.  The  total  length  is  130  feet,  and  it  weighs 
altogether  38  tons. 

The  entire  merit  of  employing  the  screw  as  an  instrument  for 
propelling  vessels  is  due  to  Mr.  F.  P.  Smith,  in  conjunction  with 
that  small  body  of  gentlemen  who  built  the  Archimedes.  This 
was  a  handsome,  rakish  craft,  with  fine  lines,  but  the  machinery 
that  was  contrived  for  conveying  motion  to  the  screw  proved  so 
objectionable,  from  the  intolerable  noise  it  made,  that  it  discour- 
aged for  a  time  further  attempts  on  this  plan.  Nevertheless  the 
vessel  made  good  way,  and  those  who  witnessed  her  perform- 
ances, and  whose  opinions,  either  as  naval  or  scientific  authorities, 
were  entitled  to  respect,  almost  unanimously  satisfied  themselves 
that  the  screw  was  destined  sooner  or  later  to  supersede  the  pad- 
dle-wheel, and  many  so  expressed  themselves  in  their  letters  to 
Captain  Chaopell,  R.  N.     Mr.  Brunei  introduced  broad  leather 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN'.  19 

Straps  in  the  Rattler,  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  the  noise  caused 
by  cog-wheels,  and  they  work  well;  but  in  the  Great  Britain 
the  chains,  for  the  same  object,  although  weighing  seven  tons, 
work  without  the  slightest  noise. 

The  displacement  of  the  Great  Britain  will  be  rather  less  than 
3000  tons  when  loaded,  with  1200  tons  of  coal  on  board  ;  while 
the  displacement  of  a  first-rate,  with  all  stores  on  board,  is  better 
than  4500  tons,  although  the  former  is  more  than  a  third  the  lon- 
ger ship.  The  form  of  the  bottom,  and  the  difference  of  ten  feet 
in  the  draught  of  water  (the  one  drawing  sixteen  feet,  the  other  five 
or  six-and- twenty),  and  the  finer  lines,  cause  this  great  difference 
in  displacement,  and,  consequently,  of  the  midship  section.  The 
Great  Britain's  midship  section  is,  from  the  same  cause,  less  than 
that  of  a  52  gun  frigate,  consequently,  with  the  same  quantity 
of  canvas,  the  former  should  sail  faster  than  the  latter,  even  if 
their  lines  approached  to  similarity;  but  with  the  Great  Britain's 
lines,  more  than  one  hundred  feet  longer  than  the  frigate,  and 
with  equal  stability  (of  which  there  is  no  kind  of  doubt),  the 
speed  in  sailing  alone  should  be  much  beyond  that  of  the  frigate, 
save  when  the  winds  are  light,  and  the  lofty  sails  of  the  frigate 

ten. 


REMARKS  UPON  THE  CONSTRUCTION,  &c., 

OF  THE 

STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN: 

AND  UPON  THE 

Comparative  merits  of  Iron  and  Wood  as  Materials  for  Ship-Building,, 

BY 

CAPT.     CLAXTON,    R.    N ., 

A  DIRECTOR  OF  THE  GREAT  WESTERN  STEAM-SHIP  COMPANY. 

Ten  iron  sleepers  run  from  the  engine-room,  gradually  diminishing  in 
number,  to  the  fore-end  of  the  ship  and  under  the  boilers,  the  platform 
of  which  they  support ;  in  midships  they  are  3  feet  3  inches  in  depth, 
supported  by  angle  irons  in  the  form  of  inverted  arches,  and  a  short  dis- 
tance from  each  other. 

From  the  ship's  bottom  to  the  upper  deck,  runs  on  either  side,  for  the 
whole  length  of  the  engines  and  boiler  space,  a  strong  iron  partition 
forming  below  the  coal  bunkers  ;  and  above,  the  servants'  accommoda- 
tions on  one  side,  engineers'  cabin  and  stokers'  accommodations  on  the 
other,  besides  26  water-closets. 

She  has  six  masts,  fitted  with  iron  rigging,  adopted  in  consequence  of 


20  THE  STtJAM-SHlP  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

its  offering  two-thirds  less  resistance  than  hemp,  a  great  point  going  head 
to  wind.  It  was  wished  that  five  should  have  been  the  complement, 
but  there  was  some  difficulty  in  adjusting  that  number,  and  the 
alternative  was  either  four  or  six.  Economy  of  labor  is  a  principle 
which  has,  in  a  great  degree,  affected  the  mode  of  rigging  both  the 
Great  Western  and  the  Great  Britain.  Nothing  is  so  difficult  to 
handle,  under  a  variety  of  circumstances,  as  the  sails  of  a  steamer, 
unless  the  engine  be  stopped,  which  can  never  be  allowed  in  Atlantic 
steaming,  where  onwards,  and  for  ever  onwards,  is  the  rule.  The  greater 
the  number  of  nrvasts,  the  more  handy  the  sails,  and  the  smaller  the 
number  of  seamen  required  to  handle  them.  If  these  ships  had  been 
rigged  as  ships  ordinarily  are,  the  former  would  require  a  crew  of  more 
than  100  seamen,  and  the  latter  that  of  a  large  frigate.  Divided,  as  the 
canvass  is,  and  reduced,  the  former  only  requires  20  seamen  before  the 
mast,  while  30  are  enough  for  the  latter.  In  the  Great  Britain  there  is 
in  fact  but  one  sail,  the  square  mainsail,  which,  under  any  circumstances, 
can  require  all  hands  to  furl  it.  Five  masts  of  the  six  are  hinged  for 
lowering,  when,  in  the  Captain's  judgment,  contrary  gales  shall  appear 
to  have  set  in,  as  the  westerlies  do  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  pre- 
vailing for  months  in  the  Atlantic.  To  a  seaman's  eye  they  have  a 
look  of  insecurity  ;  but  if  the  strain  which  a  fixed  mast  will  stand  is 
compensated  by  additional  shrouds  and  stays,  either  in  strength  or 
quantity,  the  same  end  is  attained.  The  after  masts  could  not  be 
stepped  in  the  ordinary  manner,  on  account  of  the  space  occupied  by 
the  screw-shaft.  In  theory,  the  principle  of  lowering  is  evidently  right, 
because  a  steam-ship's  masts  and  rigging  going  head  to  wind  offer  more 
resistance  than  the  hull  out  of  water,  and  there  seems  no  reason  to  fear 
the  result  in  practice. 

The  plain  sails  of  a  fifty-two-gun  frigate,  i.  e.  without  counting  royals, 
staysails,  and  steering  sails,  number  something  short  of  5000  yards  of 
canvass,  and  the  plain  sails,  i.  e.  omitting  the  steering  sails,  &c.,  of  the 
Great  Britain,  amount  to  4943  yards,  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  alike 
in  quantity.  There  are  more  points  of  sailing  in  which  the  centre  of 
effort  of  the  frigate's  or  square  rigged  ship's  canvass  will  tell  better,  but 
there  are  some  in  which  the  low  canvass  of  the  steamer  will  have  the 
advantage,  and  no  steamer  has  any  business  with  lofty  spars  or  flying 
kites.  If  circumstances  should  bring  the  Great  Britain  to  canvass 
alone,  as  her  motive  power,  she  will  do  as  well  or  better  than  her  neigh- 
bours, although  the  screw  will  stop  her  way  perhaps  fifteen  per  cent. 
In  such  an  emergency  the  Captain  would  disconnect  it,  and  it  would 
revolve  then  in  the  proportion  due  to  the  ship's  way,  or  not  impede  her 
as  if  it  were  a  fixture. 

She  carries  four  large  life-boats  of  iron,  and  two  boats  of  wood,  in 
the  davits,  and  one  large  life-boat  on  deck  ;  they  are  built  according  to 
a  patent  taken  out  by  Mr.  Guppy,  and  are  capable  of  carrying  400 
people. 

The  Great  Britain  was  built  by  the  same  company  which  built  the 
Great  Western,  the  first  ship  regularly  laid  down,  launched,  equipped, 
and  sent  to  sea,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  steam  line  between 
America  and  England. 

No  sooner  had  the  Great  Western,  in  contenapt  of  the  elaborate  and 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


21 


confident  assertions  of  philosophers — at  the  meeting  of  the  British 
Association  in  1836,  at  Bristol — that  it  would  be  impossible  for  her  to 
succeed  in  crossing  the  Atlantic — performed  her  voyage  with  the  great- 
est ease  to  New  York  and  back,  than  the  Directors  found  that  steam- 
ships of  larger  dimensions  would  offer  better  chances  of  remuneration. 
Guided  again  by  the  suggestions  of  that  superior  man,  who  had  before 
emboldened  them  to  build  the  Great  Western,  they  now  determined  that 
their  second  ship  should  be  built  of  iron  instead  of  wood,  and  subse- 
quently propelled  by  the  screw  instead  of  the  paddle-wheel ;  and  the 
Great  Britain  steam-ship  as  she  now  is,  is  the  stupendous  progeny  of 
the  genius  of  Mr.  Brunei,  and  of  their  faith  in  it.  But  the  machinery 
which  this  great  engineer  contemplated  was  so  vast,  that  the  Directors 
sought  in  vain  to  make  a  contract  for  it ;  they  resolved,  therefore,  that, 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Humphries,  whose  trunk  engine  it  was  originally 
intended  to  apply,  it  should  be  constructed  at  their  own  works,  and, 
under  the  advice  of  Mr.  Brunei,  confided  the  management  of  the  con- 
struction to  Mr.  Guppy,  who  had  previously  been  one  of  the  Directors. 
Thus  the  keel  of  the  ship  was  laid  in  July,  1839,  and,  under  Mr. 
Guppy's  masterly  superintendence,  she  was  so  far  finished  as  to  be 
launched,  in  the  presence  of  H.  R.  H.  Prince  Albert,  on  the  19th  July, 
1843. 

The  ship's  dimensions  were  adapted  for  a  free  passage  through  the 
locks  of  the  Bristol  Dock  Company  when  light ;  but  for  the  convenience 
of  the  Company  and  the  trade  of  the  port,  as  much  as  on  the  score  of 
economy,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  put  the  engines  on  boafd  before 
she  left  the  works.  This  measure  rendered  it  imperative  that  a  certain 
degree  of  temporary  accommodation,  in  widening  the  top  of  the  locks, 
should  be  afforded.  The  consequent  negotiations  led  to  her  imprison- 
ment for  a  few  months.  The  Directors  of  the  Dock  Company  having 
at  length  cheerfully  and  unanimously  afforded  all  the  facilities  asked, 
she  was  on  the  12th  of  December  taken  down  the  Avon  and  the  Bristol 
Channel  on  her  first  trial  trip. 

Mr.  Brunei  and  many  other  scientific  gentlemen  were  present  at  this 
trial,  and  its  results  completely  verified,  nay,  exceeded,  all  the  bold 
anticipations  of  the  engineers.  Indeed,  Mr.  Guppy,  during  the  four 
years  of  extraordinary  labour  which  he  was  employing  in  bringing  to  a 
successful  issue  the  recommendations  of  Mr.  Brunei  and  the  instructions 
of  the  Directors,  had  gathered  that  confidence  in  the  sciences  of  iron  ship 
building  and  marine  engineering,  that  he  had  given  the  lines  for  the  iron 
ship  William  Cobden^  which  was  built  at  Liverpool,  and  which  has 
since,  unfortunately  for  herself,  afforded  such  ample  proof  of  his  skill; 
for,  being  overloaded  with  a  large  cargo  of  iron  and  limber  kentledge  be- 
sides, she  lost  her  masts  in  a  heavy  gale  off  Cape  Clear.  She  managed, 
nevertheless,  under  jury  masts,  to  claw  off  the  shore,  where  she  was 
embayed,  when  all  hope  seemed  over  ;  and,  according  to  the  Captain's 
report,  the  speed  of  this  ship  is  greater  than  that  of  any  known,  even 
among  ships  of  war. 

The  superiority  of  iron  over  wood-built  vessels  is  so  far  admitted  as  to 
render  it  almost  unnecessary,  at  the  present  day,  to  mention  the  reasons 
which  induced  the  Directors  to  give  it  the  preference ;  but  five  years 
ago,  when  they  boldly  decided  to  build  their  ship  of  iron,  the  case  was 


22  THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

different.  The  Directors  then  instituted  the  most  searching  inquirieSj 
without  experience,  and  with  scarcely  theory  to  guide  them.  The 
writer  of  these  pages,  then  Managing  Director,  made  several  pas- 
sages in  the  Rainbow,  and  in  other  iron  vessels,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Pat- 
erson,  the  builder  of  the  Great  Western,  who  afterwards  furnished  the 
lines  for  the  Great  Britain,  for  the  purpose  of  testing  their  sea-going 
qualities,  trying  errors  and  variations  of  compasses,  making  investiga- 
tions respecting  oxidation,  fouling  of  bottoms,  buoyancy  and  stability 
under  canvass.  It  became  manifest  that  iron  would  afford  greater 
strength,  greater  buoyancy,  and  more  capacity  at  less  expense  than 
wood.  In  capacity  alone,  for  instance,  the  Great  Britain  gains  con- 
siderably more  than  600  tons.  To  make  this  clear  to  every  one,  it 
is  necessary  to  suppose  the  angle-irons  or  ribs,  the  shelves,  &c.,  &c., 
rolled  out  and  added  to  the  thickness  of  the  plates  forming  her  sides — 
when  an  average  thickness  of  two  feet  of  timber  is  represented  by  an 
average  thickness  of  2j  inches  of  iron,  with  far  better  ties,  more  com- 
pact framework,  and  far  greater  strength  altogether  than  wood  can,  under 
any  circumstances,  afford.  It  was  shown,  likewise,  that  dry-rot — that 
plague  of  wooden  ships,  as  Mr.  Grantham  calls  it  in  his  recent  publi- 
cation-^-would  be  wholly  avoided  with  iron  ;  that  there  would  be  free- 
dom from  vermin,  and  from  the  stench  and  unhealthy  consequences  of 
bilge  water. 

The  Directors  were  assured  that  the  compasses  could  be  easily  ad- 
justed ;  that  with  care  oxidation  could  be  guarded  against,  provided  all 
parts  of  \he  ship  should  be  examined  or  watched ;  that  scarce  a  tithe  of 
the  expenditure  required  for  keeping  a  wooden  ship  in  repair  was  likely 
to  ensue  in  iron ;  that,  when  necessary,  repairs  could  be  more  quickly 
nrid  easily  effected ;  that  there  would  be  neither  stripping  of  copper, 
bneathing,  nor  caulking  ;  that  nothing  was  to  be  apprehended  from  light- 
ning, which,  in  wood-built  ships,  is  so  frequently  attended  with 
fatal  consequences — nor,  comparatively  speaking,  from  fire,  one  of  its 
effects  ;  that  finer  lines,  with  equal  strength,  were  attainable,  and,  of 
course,  greater  speed  ;  that  they  would  not  be  so  easily  wrecked,  whe- 
ther striking  on  a  rock  or  beating  over  sandbanks ;  that  they  would 
run  no  risks  from  starting  butts — were  stiff  under  canvass  ;  and  that  the 
only  point  in  which  inferiority  might  be  apprehended  was  in  the  fouling 
of  the  bottom ;  but  that  if  means  for  providing  against  or  removing  this 
within  the  tropics,  should  prove  incomplete,  a  steamer  always  rapidly 
progressing  while  at  sea,  and  whose  ports  will  be  in  the  high  northern 
latitudes  of  England  and  New  York,  where  sea  animalculse  abound  but 
slightly,  would  have  nothing  to  fear  even  on  this  point. 

An  elaborate  report,  setting  forth  these  results,  of  a  most  laborious 
inquiry,  was  laid  before  the  Board,  and  upon  the  strength  of  it,  but 
still  more  upon  the  recommendation  of  Messrs.  Brunei  and  Guppy,  the 
Directors  resolved  to  build  their  ship  of  iron.  Since  this  determinatiou 
was  acted  upon,  several  able  pamphlets  and  papers  have  been  published, 
advocating  iron  instead  of  wood  for  ship  building  ;  the  best  of  which  is 
that  by  Mr.  Grantham,  of  Liverpool,  with  remarks  by  Messrs.  Fair* 
bairn,  Creuse,  and  other  eminent  gentlemen.  All  are  quite  conclusive 
in  the  most  essential  points  as  to  the  superiority  of  iron.  The  Direc- 
tors had  none  of  these  lights  to  guide  them  ;  they  placed  confidence  in 


THE  STEAM-SHIP  GREAT  BRITAIN.  23 

their  advisers,  and  came  to  a  decision  upon  facts,  and  reasonings  from 
facts,  to  which  all  that  has  been  since  published  has  added  nothing  new, 
except  the  confirmative  results  of  practice  while  their  Leviathan  has 
been  under  the  hands  of  the  mechanics. 

The  Great  Britain  is  built  with  lapped  joints  in  preference  to  flush, 
the  first  system  adopted  in  iron  ship  building,  representing  carvel-built 
ships.  The  lapped  joint  is  the  method  employed  for  clinch  or  clinker- 
built  vessels.  Trials  were  made  at  the  Company's  Works  of  the  com- 
parative strength  of  the  two  methods,  and  the  lapped  joint  was  stronger 
by  one-fifth  of  the  whole  strength.  It  is  obvious  that  for  the  purpose 
of  resisting  lateral  pressure  Or  blows  of  the  sea,  on  the  broadside,  it 
must  be  better  than  the  flush  system,  where  all  the  strain  must  be  thrown 
upon  the  ribs,  beams,  and  decks,  the  latter  horizontally ;  while,  with 
the  over-lapping  joint,  in  addition  to  that  resistance,  the  plates  them- 
selves bear  against  and  assist  each  other  in  resisting  a  pressure  great  in 
proportion  to  the  length  of  a  vessel.  In  pitching  or  dropping,  each  lap 
resists  a  little,  and  the  combined  resistance  of  as  many  edges  as  in  heavy 
weather  may  meet  the  water  would  be  equal  to  that  of  a  flat  surface  of 
eight  or  nine  inches  on  each  side  of  the  bow  or  quarter.  In  flush  joint- 
ing, the  butt  plates  inside  for  receiving  rivets  would,  for  double  rivetting, 
have  to  be  twice  the  depth  of  the  lap  of  the  joint  in  the  other  system, 
consequently  a  great  additional  quantity  of  iron  would  be  required  for 
the  whole  length  of  each  seam,  or  in  the  Great  Britain  about  18,000 
feet  of  iron,  6  in.  by  f ,  and  double  the  number  of  rivets,  an  addition  in 
weight  of  nearly  100  tons.  Flush  rivetting,  however,  has  its  advocates, 
and  one  advantage  over  the  other,  which  is  that  each  plate  rests  on  its 
fellow,  like  the  planks  of  a  ship,  and  not  upon  the  rivets  ;  but  this  again 
is  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  facilities  for  caulking.  As  to  the 
difference  in  sailing,  often  quoted,  no  importance  should  be  attached  to 
the  slight  difference  in  friction  in  iron  ships,  where  the  laps  are  few  and 
far  between  ;  and  if  experience  be  a  test,  clinker-built  cutters  and 
yachts.  Deal  boats,  &c.,  &c.,  are  as  fast  as  others,  and  as  good  sea  boats. 

Another  great  advantage  has  not  been  noticed  by  writers  generally,  if 
at  all,  although  in  the  Report  of  the  Directors,  in  1838,  already  alluded  to, 
it  is  strongly  urged,  viz.,  the  comparative  safety  in  ice.  Not  a  year  passes 
that  dozens  of  ships  are  not  sunk  from  striking  against  small  floes  of 
ice,  which  float  so  nearly  level  with  the  water  as  not  to  be  always  visi- 
ble in  the  night.  Iron  sailing  vessels,  and  steamers  fitted  with  screws, 
may  fearlessly  keep  up  their  speed  and  continue  on  their  course  when 
it  would  be  rash  to  venture  wood-built  ships  or  paddle-wheels  ;  the 
former  have,  in  point  of  fact,  only  to  keep  clear  of  downright  icebergs 
and  closely-packed  ice,  while  the  latter  run  some  risk  with  a  piece  of 
the  size  of  a  jolly  boat. 

The  sides  of  the  Great  Britain  were  scarcely  visible  over  the  walls 
of  the  yard  in  which  she  was  building,  when  naval  officers,  ship-build- 
ers, engineers,  and  philosophers  from  all  countries  began  to  seek  admit- 
tance, and  many  have  been  the  papers  which  in  most  languages  have 
been  written  on  the  comparative  merits  of  iron  and  wood  as  a  material 
for  ship  building,  which  would  not  probably  have  seen  the  light,  had 
not  a  scale  of  dimensions  been  decided  upon,  which  may  create  aston- 
ishment at  the  present  moment,  but  which  will  probably  excite  no  more 


24  THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN. 

wonder  in  a  few  years  than  the  size  of  the  Great  Western  does  at  pre- 
sent. Yet  it  is  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  all  who  know  anything  on 
these  subjects,  that  the  nautical  and  philosophical  prophets  who  con- 
cerned themselves  in  1836  and  1837  with  the  then  future  fortunes  of 
that  great  pilot  of  Atlantic  steaming,  the  Great  Western,  predicted,  with 
undoubting  assurance,  "  that  from  her  extreme  length  she  would  break 
her  hack — that  it  would  be  impossible  for  her  to  steam  so  much  as  2,000 
miles ;"  and  they  denounced  the  gross  temerity  and  ignorance  of  her 
builders.  In  obstinate  defiance  of  the  foreknowledge  of  these  gentle- 
men, and  notwithstanding  the  ignorance  and  rashness  of  her  builders,  she 
has  now  steamed  for  seven  years — once,  on  a  single  stretch,  accom- 
plishing not  far  short  of  4,000  miles — and,  judging  from  a  recent  report 
of  one  of  the  Government  Surveyors,  and  from  frequent  reports  of  the 
Surveyor-General,  at  Lloyd's,  she  is  at  this  moment  as  sound  in  mate^ 
rialj  and  as  perfect  in  form,  as  on  the  day  she  was  launched.  Those, 
therefore,  who  are  interested  in  the  Great  Britain  must  naturally  augur 
the  best  as  to  her  future  fate,  enlightened  by  the  experience  of  the  past, 
from  finding  that  she  too  is  heralded  to  the  deep  by  the  very  same  judges, 
with  prophecies  as  ominous  as  those  which  harbingered  her  elder  sister 
across  the  Atlantic  ;  and  knowing,  as  they  do,  that  her  builders  are  not 
now  less  ignorant  and  rash  than  when  the  Great  Western  was  given  to 
the  ocean,  they  may  tranquilly  hope  that  she  will  not  be  less  successful. 

Timber  being  cheaper,  and  wages  lower,  on  the  Continent  than  in 
England,  and  the  former  plentiful  in  America,  the  merchant  ships  of 
several  nations  have  an  advantage  over  those  of  England,  and  of  course 
obtain  a  preference  in  freights.  "  The  Wooden  Walls  of  Old  England" 
are  very  dear  to  all  of  us,  but  the  Iron  Walls  may  earn  a  name  replete 
with  national  glory ;  and  at  any  rate  iron  in  the  merchant  service  would 
give  us  for  a  very  long  period  the  advantage  over  the  maritime  nations 
of  the  world. 

Mr.  Creuze's  opinion  is  clear  and  distinct,  that  iron  should  supersede 
wood  in  her  Majesty's  ships  of  the  largest  size,  and  if  the  tendency  to 
fouling  under  water  can  be  got  over,  there  cannot  be  a  question  that  he 
is  right.  Mr.  Grantham  is  of  the  same  opinion,  and  his  reasoning  is 
sound  on  most  points — on  all,  indeed,  except  guarding  against  a  point 
blank  fair-hitting  round  or  half  shot  or  a  shell — and  on  this  point  it  is  a 
question  whether  it  would  be  wise  to  add  anything  to  the  inside  for  this 
purpose,  as  the  skin  or  inner  side  of  the  plates  should  never  be  hidden. 
Let  the  shot  come  in,  it  will  carry  no  splinters,  but  make  a  jagged  hole, 
whose  jagged  parts  may  almost  be  beat  back  ;  and  as  to  stopping  the 
hole,  if  under  water,  a  bundle  of  oakum  or  a  large  swab  will  be  almost 
enough,  if  lowered  from  the  outside  over  it ;  but  it  requires  no  great 
conjuror  to  adapt  appliances  to  be  placed,  as  handily,  and  as  thickly,  and 
more  efficient  in  themselves,  than  the  wooden  plugs  which  line  our  men- 
of-war's  orlop  wings,  and  many  must  be  the  shot-holes  that  the  pumps 
of  large  engines  will  not  beat.  At  a  slight  angle,  shots  will  glance  oflT, 
simply  making  a  dent,  which  a  man  from  the  inside  may  make  fair  again 
when  the  action  is  over ;  and  as  to  repairing  shot-holes  above  water,  the 
ship's  smith  and  engineers  would  do  that  as  eflfectually  and  well  at  sea 
as  in  port.  If  a  ship  with  a  bow  like  the  Great  Britain's  were  fired  at 
from  morning  till  night  by  the  Excellent,  Sir  Thomas  Hastings,  end  on, 


THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT   BRITAIN.  25 

it  is  probable  that  neither  shot  nor  shell  would  make  any  other  impres- 
sion than  a  slight  dent.  The  same  might  be  said  of  a  round  stern,  and 
indeed  of  the  Great  Britain's,  from  the  cabin  deck  downwards. 

Much  has  been  said  respecting  our  steam  navy,  and  a  good  deal  of 
wonder  has  been  expressed  that  iron  has  not  been  adopted.  Several 
large  iron  steamboats  have  been  contracted  for  by  the  present  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty  ;  one  of  large  dimensions  by  Mr.  Laird,  of  Birkenhead, 
whose  performances  in  iron  have  won  for  him  an  imperishable  name,  is 
in  a  forward  state.  Tenders  are  likewise  in  for  several  more  steam- 
frigates  and  sloops ;  but  it  does  appear  extraordinary  that  the  paddle, 
after  the  performances  of  her  Majesty's  ship  Rattler,  should  be  per- 
sisted in  by  Trans-Atlantic  Companies.  It  was  under  Lord  Minto's 
administration  that  a  copy  of  Mr.  Brunei's  report  to  the  Directors  of 
the  Great  Western  Steam-Ship  Company  was  asked  for,  and  furnished 
by  that  gentleman's  permission,  and  the  Rattler  was  subsequently 
ordered  to  be  built,  he  having,  at  that  Noble  Lord's  request,  undertaken 
to  order  the  machinery,  and  to  report  as  umpire  upon  screws.  After 
several  years'  waiting,  and  many  experiments,  with  different  modifica- 
tions of  screws,  she  has  proved,  with  Mr.  Smith's,  to  make  a  knot  an 
hour  more  than  any  paddle-wheel  steamer  of  the  same  tonnage  and 
power  in  the  service.  This,  after  a  battle  against  prejudice  of  some 
duration,  is  at  last  admitted,  and  it  would  seem  that  simultaneously 
it  ought  to  be  admitted  that  the  screw  is  a  better  propeller  than  the 
paddle-wheel,  "  quoad  "  propulsion  only  ;  as  to  all  other  points  of  com- 
parison between  them,  the  superiority  of  the  screw  is  incontestable,  and 
the  longer  the  voyage  the  more  conspicuously  will  this  be  made  mani- 
fest. The  more  prominent  points  of  superiority  are  : — 1st. — The  facility 
afforded  in  carrying  canvass,  inclination  or  heeling  over  not  affecting 
the  motive  power  of  the  propeller ;  while  in  a  paddle-wheel  craft, 
if  sail  be  carried  to  any  extent,  with  the  wind  anywhere  not  right  aft 
or  on  the  quarter,  the  power  of  one  wheel  is  exerted  on  air  only,  while 
the  other  is  to  a  great  extent  rendered  nugatory  by  too  great  immersion, 
in  spite  of  the  dangerous  tram  trimming  chain  lockers,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  unequal  strain  upon  the  engines.  2nd. — It  can  only  be  in  the  high- 
est seas  that  the  screw  even  partially  quits  the  water,  and  then  only  for 
a  few  seconds  at  rare  intervals,*  while  with  paddles  the  hollow  of  the 
seas  constantly  leaves  both  wheels  exposed,  and  if  the  throttling  were 
not  attended  to,  the  most  serious  consequences  would  result.  3rd. — 
The  breadth  of  beam  in  going  into  docks  and  basins.  As  a  paddle- 
wheel  steam  ship,  the  Great  Britain's  extreme  beam,  i.  e.  from  out- 
side to  outside  the  paddle-boxes,  would  have  been  about  80  feet,  instead 
of  61.  4th. — The  diminished  chances  from  collisions  at  sea,  where  the 
paddle-wheels  and  houses  constantly  suffer.  5th. — The  difference  of 
resistance  to  the  wind,  the  paddle-boxes  and  their  appendages  creating 
nearly  one  half  of  the  whole  resistance  of  the  body,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  paddle-box,  boats,  and  the  attendant  tons  of  iron-work  in  such  ships 
as  ha\e  them.  6th. — The  ease  with  which  sail  may  be  carried,  and  the 
difference  in  effect  between  the  two  systems,  if  from  damaged  machinery 
it  becomes  necessary  to  disconnect,  and  let  the  propellers  revolve  ;  and 

*  This  has  been  well  ascertained  by  Mr.  Brunei's  experiments,  which  embraced 
observations  on  the  rudder  of  the  Great  Western  on  many  voyages. 

4 


26  fHE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN/ 

by  no  means  the  least  advantage  is  the  getting  rid  of  the  top  weight  of 
frames,  shafts,  wheels,  &c.,  &c.,  which  are  all  represented  by  shafting 
below  the  centre  of  gravity,  acting  really  as  so  much  ballast,  in  all  screw 
ships  ;  and  lastly,  the  comparative  security  from  the  shot  of  an  enemy. 

If  the  Rattler's  bow  and  run  had  been  finer,  as,  without  affecting  her 
warlike  quahties,  they  might  have  been,  she  would  have  gone  much 
faster.  She  is  very  full,  and  throws  a  five  or  six  feet  wave  before  her. 
There  is  no  reason  why,  under  water,  Her  Majesty's  steam  ships  should 
not  be  as  fine  as  the  Great  Britain,  if  built  of  iron,  and  approaching  it 
as  far  as  due  strength  of  that  material  admits,  if  of  wood,  the  capacity 
gained  by  fulness  of  bow  and  run  being  so  to  be  attained,  that  they 
should  not  be  retarded  by  a  mountain  wave  generated  by  themselves. 
The  Polyphemus,  whose  speed  was  tested,  and  whose  power  is  the 
same  as  the  Rattler,  appears  to  have  a  much  finer  looking  bow,  and 
certainly  did  not  throw  so  high  a  wave  before  her  as  the  Rattler  does 
when  going  at  similar  speed.  The  Great  Britain  sends  no  wave  before 
her,  and  no  well  designed  steam-ship  should. 

For  several  successive  years  hopes  were  entertained  that  the  experi- 
ments in  the  Rattler  would  enable  the  engineers  of  the  Great  Britain  to 
arrive  at  the  best  conclusions,  both  as  to  the  number  of  arms  and  the  best 
pitch  of  the  screw  ;  but  the  ship  progressing  toward  completion,  and 
the  Rattler  not  appearing  in  the  field,  Mr.  Brunei  was  urged  by  the 
Directors  to  come  to  some  decision,  in  order  that  a  screw  might  be  put 
in  hand,  and  the  one  now  adopted  is  the  result.  As  far  as  it  has  been 
tried,  it  is  an  excellent  propeller  ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  Httle  more 
delay  would  haye  produced  one  of  fewer  arms  and  more  pitch  ;  and  still 
better  results  may  be  expected  from  the  spare  screw  which  has  been 
ordered. 

The  Great  Britain  is  divided  into  compartments  to  each  of  which  the 
engine-pumps,  by  the  means  of  pipes  and  cocks,  can  be  applied.  The 
water-tight  divisions  of  each  compartment  add  greatly  to  the  strength  of 
the  ship,  either  as  struts  or  ties.  All  steamers,  whether  on  the  score  of 
humanity,  or  for  the  preservation  of  property,  ought  to  be  so  divided  ; 
for  if  a  vessel  be  divided  into  five  or  six  compartments,  and  any  one  of 
them  should  from  accident  fill,  her  buoyancy  would  only  be  slightly 
affected.  If  two  compartments  filled,  and  those  two  were  not  at  the 
extremes,  the  extreme  compartments  would  still  keep  her  afloat.  If  two 
consecutive  compartments,  either  forward  or  aft,  filled,  it  is  certain 
if  she  went  down  head  or  stern  foremost,  that  she  would  be  some  time 
about  it,  long  enough,  probably,  to  give  time  for  all  the  boats  to  be  got 
in  readiness.  The  celebrated  Nemesis  struck  on  the  English  Stones,  in 
the  Bristol  Channel,  going  nine  or  ten  knots  ;  she  slid  off,  after  making 
such  a  slit  in  a  plate  in  the  forward  compartment  as  filled  it.  She 
steamed  several  hours  with  the  compartment  full,  until  she  obtained 
additional  pumps  in  Mount's  Bay,  with  which  the  space  was  pumped 
out,  and  the  leak  stopped.  At  Portsmouth  she  was  examined,  and 
drawings  of  the  damage  mads  by  an  employe  of  our  Company  ;  she  was 
repaired  in  a  few  hours,  at  an  expense  of  about  £30,  and  then  started 
for  China.  The  Brigand,  a  large  iron  steamer,  which  had  been  trading 
between  Liverpool  and  Bristol,  struck  on  sunken  rocks  off  the  Scilly 
Islands,  filled  a  forward  compartment,  and  had  some  part  of  her  paddle- 


THE   STEAM-SHIP    GREAT   BRITAIN*  27 

wheel  forced  so  far  into  the  engine-room  as  to  damage  the  plates,  and 
fill  that  part  also.  She  remained  afloat  in  consequence  of  the  remaining 
compartments,  long  enough  to  enable  the  crew  to  save  themselves  and 
their  kits  comfortably,  and  then  went  down  in  deep  water.  The  Wye, 
trading  between  Bristol  and  Chepstow,  was  cut  down  more  than  a  foot 
below  the  vvater-line  by  one  of  the  Irish  steamers,  her  stem  having 
gone  into  the  little  Wye  as  far  as  the  forward  companion  ;  she  continued 
her  voyage,  and  landed  all  her  passengers  as  safely,  but  not  quite 
as  fast,  as  if  nothing  had  happened  ;  in  her  case,  it  vi^as  the  foremost 
compartment  that  filled.  The  Sylph,  although  a  slight  vessel  and  of 
wood,  had  compartments  ;  the  two  foremost  filled,  but  the  after  one 
kept  her  long  enough  afloat  to  enable  all  who  were  not  killed  or 
injured  to  effect  their  escape.  The  case  of  the  Vanguard  iron  steamer, 
which  for  ten  days  was  exposed  to  heavy  breakers,  on  the  rocks  in 
White's  Bay,  near  Cork,  may  also  be  mentioned,  both  as  a  proof  of  the 
strength  of  iron,  and  of  the  value  of  compartments. 

Of  the  strength  of  iron  ships — of  cases  where  they  have  been  hung  up 
by  their  extreme  ends — of  others,  where  the  ends  have  been  unsupport- 
ed, without  injury  or  deflection — many  examples  might  be  enumerated  ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  there  are  few  such  as  the  Nemesis,  the 
Elberfelt,  and  one  or  two  others,  where,  from  the  sheer  want  of 
strength  and  proper  precautions — from  too  great  confidence  in  the  iron, 
when  but  little  stouter  than  tin  plates — they  have  yielded.  The  Elber- 
felt was  a  Rhine  boat,  drawing  less  than  two  feet  of  water.  She  was 
caught  in  a  gale  where  she  ought  never  to  have  ventured.  If  the 
water-ways  are  not  sufficiently  strong,  or  if  they  are  not  supported  by 
shelves  or  stringers — or  if  they  are  cut  through  in  the  middle  for  paddle- 
beams,  and  if  vessels  so  weakened  are  suspended  half  or  a  third  of  their 
length,  they  must  yield.  Since  these  vessels  got  into  scrapes,  iron 
vessels  are  generally  more  strongly  built ;  but  boats  built  for  rivers  only 
have  no  business  at  sea. 

Claimants,  in  the  form  of  patentees,  began  to  make  their  appearance, 
when  the  power  of  the  first  screw  was  proved  ;  but  when  it  became 
known  that  Mr.  Brunei  recommended  its  adoption  in  the  Great  Britain, 
several  of  them  commenced  active  operations.  It  seems  a  pity  that  the 
mere  recital  of  a  description  of  a  patent  should  be  sufficient  to  secure  to 
its  author  all  the  benefits,  or  that  something  should  not  be  reserved  for 
those  who  work  out  the  useful  inventions  even  of  others,  and,  as  it 
were,  prove  what  they  either  lack  the  means  or  the  courage  to  prove 
themselves. 

Whatever  may  be  the  results  of  the  trials  pending  or  likely  to  follow 
in  the  wake  of  the  Great  Britain's  well-doing,  a  commensurate  national 
reward  is  due  to  that  Company  whose  courage  and  energy  originated 
such  grand  enterprises,  and  a  gratuity  of  at  least  an  equal  amount  to  Mr 
Smith,  provided  the  advantages  keep  pace  with  the  anticipations  of 
himself  and  his  supporters. 

No  sooner  was  the  problem  of  steaming  across  the  Atlantic  practi- 
cally solved  by  the  Great  Western  Steam-ship  Company,  than  Govern- 
ment advertised  for  tenders  to  carry  her  Majesty's  mails,  and  at  this 
moment  nearly  half  a  million  is  annually  paid  to  the  enterprising  com- 
panies who  succeeded  in  obtaining  contracts,  and  who  are  all  ably  per- 


28  THE    STEAM-SHIP    GREAT    BRITAIN* 

forming  the  service.  Among  others,  tenders  were  sent  in  by  this  Com- 
pany for  the  Halifax  line,  but  although  at  about  half  the  sum  paid  last 
year  (i290,000)  for  twenty  voyages  (the  first  tender  only  naming  twelve 
voyages  per  annum),  and  although  we  had  the  merit  of  showing  the  way, 
we  were  unsuccessful,  and  our  fortunate  competitors  are  paid  as  near  as 
may  be  the  exact  sum  per  voyage  which  is  required  to  cover  the 
expenses  of  the  Great  Western  out  and  home,  viz.,  £4500,  leaving,  if 
the  case  were  hers,  a  profit  varying  between  5  and  £10,000  per  voyage. 
Perhaps  now  that  the  Company  has  placed  a  second  wonder  on  the 
waters,  the  tide  may  change  in  their  favor,  upon  her  success,  and  some 
notice  may  be  taken  of  the  benefits  which,  through  their  private  enter- 
prise, England  has  been  the  means  of  conferring  on  distant  quarters  of 
the  globe  and  on  herself,  and,  to  use  the  words  of  Mr.  Grantham,  in  his 
clever  work,  that,  by  a  well-deserved  grant,  "  one  of  the  greatest 
triumphs  of  modern  genius,  one  of  the  most  surprising  and  gratifying 
results  of  scientific  skill  that  the  world  ever  witnessed,  may  no  longer  be 
an  injury  and  a  loss  to  those  who  achieved  it." 


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